The photo collage on the wall cater-corner from my friend Susan’s kitchen catches my eye whenever I pop in her back door for a visit. Brimming with images of kids, interesting friends, exotic places and happy baby smiles, it’s always an attention-grabber. I call it a “hands on” Pinterest board, but to her — a recently retired fifth-grade teacher — it’s an old-school bulletin board that informs and entertains.

“My stainless-steel refrigerator is clear of photos nowadays, and I love the clean look of the easy-to-do wall arrangement that hangs year-round,” she said as she pointed to her 2012 collection. “The beautiful photos tell the annual stories of our favorite people. Plus, they’re a conversation starter that leads to sharing the ins and outs of our lives. A birth, a graduation, a wedding, a funeral, a trip to the Rock of Gibraltar.”

If you are inspired to create this simple portrait gallery for your home, here are tips for the post-holiday family project.

1. Purchase tacks or small push pins and a stylish bulletin board, or paint the frame of an old one to match your hallway or room decor.

2. Choose holiday photo cards that have particular meaning to you and your family. Trim them to focus on essential subject matter and to provide plenty of space to fit them all on the board. School-age kids can use a ruler and pencil to create lines as a guide before they cut with scissors or a paper cutter.

3. Set the bulletin board flat on a table. Arrange the photos in a pleasing combination. Attach to the board with the pins or tacks. Hang on the wall.

4. Next year, when the 2014 holiday photos are ready to arrange, place the old photos in an envelope labeled “2013” and store in a box for safe keeping and viewing.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit donnasday.com and link to the Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

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